Old Ironmaker

Yes my Dr's office enrolled me into the program just yesterday. I have to go into some Doc's office and listen to their 40 minute spiel. I've been through the program before. I'm great at quitting smoking, heck I quit all the time. I once quit for a year and started up on a boy's Golf trip to Cuba. Started with cigars on the links and by the time I landed at home I was smoking cigarettes again. Idioto.

I learned much about Asian cooking from him. And new Italian dishes Mom didn't make from Pasquali the Singing Italian chef out of Toronto that had a TV show. Both Mom and an Aunt disliked him. They said all his sauces were raw if he only cooked them for 15 minutes.

Thanks Fisherman, I am getting the patches at zero charge through the Ontario Gov. smoke cessation program. If you are in Ont. I'm not sure why you have to pay for them.

Don't sweat that Akri. Some Americans know very little about those in the next State or even the next county. The same as here in Canada. I have a B-I-L from Halifax. A guy I know brings up 2 palm trees from Florida every year, digs a few holes and plants them, he is at Turkey Point on Erie. My B-I-L saw them one fall when we were having an Indian Summer with 75F days in October and he left with 2 feet of snow on the ground. I convinced him they grow naturally in Southern Ontario and he told everyone down east exactly that.

Here is the 1st centre council 20 foot StarCraft Heritage they did before I came along to help. Not too shabby I must say. It's something like an 1988'. I really enjoy seeing boats revived rather than at the scrap dealers. The cost was around 5 grand before it was repowered with a 150 Merc. 2 stroke. So about 10K all in. Try buying that boat for 10K.

They are getting more and more popular CG. here on Erie where I live. Up to a few years ago I helped reconfigure 3 early 19' 1990's era full wind screen StarCrafts into centre council ( center for you). Perfect for out here. The same 115 HP Mercs with the same hull and removing the front and rear casting platforms and the full windshields are getting 20 or more MPH at WOT. It's like going from fishing out of a phone booth* to being the only couple on the dance floor. The only downfall is for the other guys not ducking behind the small windshield going into the wind back to the north shore. 9.99 times the wind is out of the NW heading into shore on Erie. A local Marine dealer has brought in center council Key West glass boats a few years ago. I don't know how sales are. They sure ain't priced like Trackers. *For you yungins' here a phone booth had a telephone mounted on the wall, something called a "phone book" was hanging from a chain and that was basically an analogue manual 411 Google. The phone only worked if you put money in it. Things really got modern when you could use a "Bell phone card." Then you didn't need cash to operate it. I think they have one at The Smithsonian in Washington D.C. It is next to a 1st generation lap top that went for more than $3000.00 CDN. And that was when CDN was at par or more than USD.

You too eh. I have been watching the rain bead off my brand new custom made Sunbrella cover and watching the grass turn green for the last month of self isolation. I don't know why I waited so long to do it. I would have saved the 750 bucks in 3 years worth of shrink wrap. I was given that price 6 years ago by the Mom and Pop team in Dunnville and they honoured the same price. Good folks. I mentioned to him they may be an essential business if they ever did any OPP or Coast Guard boats. I don't know if he is open now. I hope so.

Of course as usual everything here looks and I'm sure more importantly tastes fantastic. Nothing is going to waste, I'm digging deep into the back 40 of the freezer and nothing fruit or vegetable related is going into a compost bin, nothing. All cuttings of veggies are going into a freezer bag in the freezer and including lettuce ends and cores, I always have a bag of chicken backs ready for stock. Yesterday I made 2 cups of fried rice and it was one of the best ever. What could go wrong with rice, big shrimp and nice sized scallops. I diced what we had in the veggie drawer from peppers to swiss chard ends and everything in between that was or at it's best before date. I was taught years ago by Yan Can that had the TV show 20 years ago. Make any type of rice you wish. Spread it all out evenly on a baking tray and set outside or in the freezer to cool (after you cook it !!!) Don't ask. OK you asked. I told my brother how to make fried rice like I did for him and his wife years ago and he did everything to the T except cook the rice. I set the rice I made outside until cold then brought it in and broke it all up with a fork. The rice will never stick together if you like it that way, there are thousands of rice dishes many more and not all what we have at our Chinese places. Balls of sticky white rice is big in Japan and Southern Korea. Then I sautéed all the veggies in my wok with peanut oil, sesame seed oil and Pres. Choice pepper and garlic oil. They have a ginger and garlic infused oil as well. A splash of fish sauce that does not have any fish in it. A teaspoon of chopped garlic and the same of chopped ginger, fresh or in the jar. Stir fried all my hard veggies like peppers and carrots 1st then add the soft stuff like greens and mushrooms etc. last. Salt and pepper blah blah, if you are reading this you know what you are doing if you have questions just ask. When they are done add the rice and stir it up and heat the rice. Forgot the splash of siracha sauce if heat wanted, no too much eh. Right at the end I added the uncooked shrimp I had and the same amount of scallops and a splash of soya sauce to taste rather than salt. Man it was good. 2 cups of rice, 2 people and just enough left over for my wife's lunch the next day. I called it Selkirk Fried Rice. The Chinese place in town before they tore down the building always had as a special "Cayuga Special Fried Rice" The special was everything left over from the day before. We all miss that place. The owner Chan was a hoot and a 1/2. They didn't have a liquor licence and once brought it alcohol free beer. He made a sign that said. DRINK NO DRUNK

Thanks Grimsby. I thought so. My former wife's grand parents were from Troon and I never asked them either. I couldn't understand much of what they said anyway. One of the in laws cousins visited one summer and we couldn't understand 80% of what he was saying, nor could he understand us.

This new generation of millennials will be the 1st since the discovery of the wheel that their male teenaged brains don't dream about cars 24/7. I know all my pals, my brothers and every Maple Leaf loving Canadian did as a kid. I think I saw it on Motoring 2020 this will be the 1st generation that will not have the opportunity to drive a real deal manual shift car, they aren't making them any longer. Unless they drive a commercial truck there won't be any passenger cars available, I think I recall them saying 2021 will be the last year offered on a only a few custom vehicles. Only 2 of my close friends kids care about driving and the rest of my nieces and nephews and friends could care less about what they drive, if they know how to drive at 30 something now. Then again we didn't have to pay 10 grand a year or more for insurance before we turned 25. I bought a year old Stingray when I was 23 the insurance was something like 50 bucks a month. I don't want to guess what it would be today for a 23 year old, that is IF you could find someone to insure a 23 year old driving a newer Vette. My B-I-L finally got his 750 or something horse power Dodge Hell Cat I think it is or the next one up as he was on the 200 Canadian waiting list for a few years, big $$$$, big big $$$. Well he called everyone as the entire family was there outside to his shop and did an unveiling last Christmas day. Drumroll please,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,he pushed the button and opened the garage door. All the daughters, S-I-L's and the Grand kids said it was cute and turned around to head in because it didn't impress them one iota including the boys. The topic at the table that Christmas dinner was what the carbon footprint does a 700 plus HP car make? Dianne said he was just crushed. They could care less about the car and more about it's environmental impact and that really isn't a bad thing, it's actually a very good thing. The Millennials are all getting a bum rep in my opinion. Not all of them are me, me first. Many are hard working and much more mature compared to us beer, booze, platform shoe wearin' Disco dancin' dope smoking 20 somethings in the 70's. The big difference was we could afford to waste our money and still afford the rent or buy a place to live. Those few that didn't do the above bought their kids homes for their wedding gifts with some interest free mortgages, more than a few I know in fact. If I had a buck as a teen and had to choose from buying a Playboy or Car and Driver I bought the Car and Driver and borrowed my Uncles Playboy for a peek, today the kids will take that dollar and donate 50 cents to an environmental cause and invest 25 cents and live off the other 25.

Or a trunk the boot and or a hood a bonnet? 2 countries separated by a common language. Ever notice a Brit never uses the letter H in a word as in ome not home, ood not hood. I'm driving one day in England and I see these signs plastered on the side of the road "Boot sale ahead." I ask myself I hope they have my size.They don't have garage or yard sales, no room on the street to park. They all get together on some farmland on the weekends and sell their wares from the trunks of their cars. We actually did it here in our little neighbourhood every summer on the vacant corner before someone built a McMansion there. The only problem is lugging the crap to the field and hopefully not back. If I didn't have a truck it would be 15 loads of stuff in the boot my wife paid full retail for and sells it for 10 cents on the buck. I told her many times, Business 101, buy low sell high not the other way around.

J/K. yep there are a few Hamilton phrases no one outside the city knew. If we were in Toronto and one of us said, "The guy was flying like 90" someone from TO would turn to us and say "You guys are from Hamilton." Then they kept their distance. Hamilton was referred to as the Canadian Pittsburg with all our Steel Mills and all the tough Steelworkers. Like 90 meant someone was doing something fast or with conviction as in 90 MPH. As in "He ate it like 90, she shrugged him off like 90, his Mom gave him Hell like 90." Scarfed is another one. As in eating fast, "He scarfed it down like 90." That may be a bit more common. Some steelworkers were "Scarfers." They gouged out flaws in steel slabs using burning torches and on peace work the more they scarfed the more they earned. JD.

My 1st full time job at the plant when I just turned 19 I shared an office with a Met Foreman from southern England, Albert Roche, an amazing man. He took me under his wing became my mentor, we became good friends and I kept in touch with him as often as I could until he passed too soon just after retired. He always called me what I thought was "Boil?" I never asked what he was saying. I hear the term often in British movies. I think he was actually saying "Boy oh." Am I close? I took it as a term of endearment but it could mean Jack Ass for all I know. Thanks, Johnny D.

All roads lead to Corona. And that ain't a town in Mexico. At least I hope 1 good thing comes from this thing we are all dealing with. When this all started the 6 Nations Reservation announced they were blocking all incoming vehicles to the Rez and only residents were allowed to enter. That day I went to The New Credit Rez that abuts 6 nations and bought 3 cartons of cheap cancer sticks. I had to go to get meds due today so I decided to go to the Rez and load up on cheap smokes. The entrance to The 6 Nations Reserve are all blocked. The gas stations at a few spots on The New Credit are open but all have signs saying "No tobacco or lottery tickets." Most are closed completely. I just so happened to have a telephone appointment with my Diabetic practitioner this afternoon who is always suggesting I get into the smoke seccasion (sic) program. Today I said yes mame. I stopped at our village In and Out store on the way home. A single package of large king size was 18 bucks. I haven't bought a pack from a store off Rez for 10 years. 18 bucks, how can smokers afford that. And I know guys from the city that buy a pack a day. Wowza. I have to quit, it isn't in the budget, it's almost my weekly pension for Lord sakes. I don't smoke a pack a day but know some folks that do. 18X31. $550.00 a month or $6570.00 a year. I can mortgage a 2nd home or buy a very nice new boat or lease a $100,000.00 vehicle for 550 Samolians a month. How they can afford it is beyond me. Wowza ain't the word. Wish me luck. PS. I started smoking at the age of 40. The last cigarette before that we were around 7 and one of the guys stole a pack of their brothers who couldn't rat and the 3 of us smoked the entire pack in an old abandoned car up the street. I was sick for a week and never touched another until I turned 40. The "Why in Hell could you be so stupid?" could fill a few books, a Broadway play and a feature length movie plus sequels and an HBO mini series.

I'm glad you are OK CG. Gulf not Tide, sorry. I was so upset typing because 25 deaths don't even get their own report today that I wrote hurricane not tornado. I got that news from that running banner at the bottom of the screen on CNN. Even in my local paper, we still get one believe it or not, once a week only. Anyway an attempted murder, a 711 robbery and a home invasion for a county of 60,000 didn't get 2 paragraphs ,the rest was guess what? A few months ago they had the entire front page because someone horked old Farmer McMurphy's 8 N tractor and his guard dog. Try walking around in a bandana at the end of last year. It's the new normal today. It takes everything in my power not to say "Stick em' up." to my bank teller lady last week. The weatherman, the only occupation that you don't get fired for getting it wrong more than 1/2 the time. Horked definition: Hamiltonian for stolen.

Now it's 24 hour per day 7 days a week giving us the same information over and over again. The reports of the 25 that lost their lives in southern hurricanes on the weekend took up a few minutes only on CNN. Alabama I think. I hope Chrismon Tide is OK.I guess hurricanes don't rate compared to this thing. I see on my Bell Satellite TV system there are new channels dedicated to this thing we are dealing with. The stats for those infected and those that have died world wide and in the US and Canada depending on the home base of the channel are like a score board for a sports game. It really reminds me when I was a kid and the evening news networks posted the numbers of North Vietnamese that were killed in the last 24 hours and how many American soldiers lost their lives. We know now the numbers were all wrong, we didn't back in 1969. Occasionally they post the number that have gotten through the virus and lived. That's the important number to me anyway.

The virus was born on The Grassy Knoll. Is there a run on tinfoil too?

Exactly how we make it. My wife's is better than mine. Never cheese or bacon. Butter and taters is enough calories for me.

Thanks Woodsman, very nice and I can use it especially these days that seem to last 80 hours each. I went for a visit to the Steel plant here last spring where I worked for a time and the Dock Foreman showed me a similar program to see how far out their incoming vessels were. I wish we had that way back when. Our communications were basic VHF radios and that was hi tech, when they were in range. Often they were at the dock blasting the ships horn to tell us they had arrived and the 1st Mate yelling over the rail to ask us what marker to dock at. Never too happy when we had to tell them they had to reverse 1500 ft. to hit the mark. The crew needed to get off to get last call at the Ballet down the street from the plant and it wasn't a very happy bunch of sailors that have been on an ore boat for a few weeks, sometimes longer. Yep real hi tech.

I can count on one hand how many times I ate a hotdog or bologna since I was 17. A buddy worked a summer at Shopsy's. He told us how they made it and what it was made from. There's an old saying. "Never let anyone watch you make love to your wife or make sausages."

Gino Vanelli? I deleted my comment because it's a Holy day.

Of course John. I imagine that Europe was the route it travelled through last into NY City. East to West. How that matters is most certainly not clear to me but I'm sure there is a significance for the Epidemiologists studying the virus.

My wife talked to her good friend today. She told Tich of their drive by the Grand kids to talk to and see them this morning. The kids flipped out because they couldn't hug Nana and Papa. That breaks my heart. I don't know who's Honda that is. Nice ride. We called red cars "heat scores" when we were young. It is a fact more red cars were stopped for speeding than any other colour back in the day as they say. I'm not sure about today.

Buona Pasqua pissano to you and la' familia as well. (SIC!). No aniello this year either. I wasn't waiting in line for an hour to get a small gamba for the two of us plus my BBQ is kaput. It will have to wait when we have the 17 usual suspects for Easter dinner hopefully before the end of summer. Maybe by then we will be 18 I pray. My Italiano is getting worse, the Reggina Club in Hamertown is closed so I can't practice. Happy Easter to all as well. My good friend told me it isn't Happy it's just an OK Easter this year. It would be 2 of their Grand Baby's 1st Easter.

At this time of year I can usually count the number of vessels daily passing our place. They are few and far between this spring. I noticed exactly 2 all week. At night the horizon is usually full of lights of vessels anchored waiting to get into Nanticoke's steel plant and the oil refinery. I'm not sure about the refinery but I do know 1st hand Stelco is running at 100% 24/7 . I did notice on the way to the store Thursday Stelco Steel Nanticoke ore piles are high for this time of year. They must have been off loading very early this shipping season. Something very ironic I saw on TV this week. In the Middle East there has been a cease fire due to Covid 19! I don't know between whom because I can't keep track of who's killing who.